The present invention relates to a method for examining breast tissue for the presence of lumps or a change in texture, and in particular to a method in which an aqueous emulsion or gel composition is applied to the skin of an individual in the area of the breast tissue while the skin is substantially dry in an amount effective to lubricate the skin, so as to increase the tactile sensation of the texture of the underlying breast tissue.
Monthly examination of breast tissue is a valuable tool in the early detection of breast disease and in particular breast cancer. Breast cancer is most easily treated and cured when it is found early. Self-examination is a convenient method for regular breast tissue examination without having to schedule an appointment with a health professional. Monthly self-examination also permits the individual to become familiar with the texture of their breast tissue, to better ensure the early detection of a lump or thickening.
Health professionals recommend a self-examination performed in a reclining position, for example with the right arm extended out, with the elbow at a 90 degree angle. The left hand is then used to feel the tissue underneath the skin of the right breast for a lump or thickening. The technique is then repeated with the left arm extended outward and the right hand used to feel the tissue of the left breast for a lump or thickening.
Health professionals also recommend additional self-examination in the shower or bath. Soapiness of the hands and the skin in the area of the breast tissue increases the tactile sensation of the texture of the breast tissue, making it easier to detect a change in the texture of the tissue. The examination, however, is ideally performed in the aforementioned reclining position, which flattens the breast and makes it easier to examine. While this is not convenient in the shower, a standing examination in the shower is no substitute for the examination in the reclining position recommended by health professionals, in fact both reclining and standing are recommended for a thorough examination.
While a soap solution could be used during a breast self-examination outside the shower when the skin in the area of the breast is substantially dry and the individual can assume a reclining position, the soap solution dries rapidly on the dry skin, forming a film that resists rather than lubricates the movement of the hands over the skin, thereby interfering with the tactile sensation of the breast tissue texture. After the examination, the soap film must be washed away. There remains a need for a means by which tactile sensation may be increased during breast self-examination when the skin in the area of the breast tissue is substantially dry, so as to facilitate individual self-examination while in the reclining position as recommended by health professionals.